RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our safety, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
